The Meeting
by flamonarowers
Summary: After years of avoiding each other Jack and Ralph finally meet again.


The blonde male waited patiently on a bench in the park. He honestly didn't know how he found him. He'd promised himself that those things were behind them but he wasn't so sure. The boy had tried to kill him after all.

Ralph looked anxiously at the book he was reading. He had become a master of hiding his anxiety and paranoia from the world, but here he was feeling just as scared again. The flames, that horrible island were all coming back to him like a flood, and the red headed boy as at the root of it all. His mind raced as the paper started to crinkle underneath his fingers.

"Good book? I always did like Shakespeare."

The blonde jumped out of his skin, searching for the voice. When he saw who it was his heart stopped. No words came no matter how much he beckoned them. Ralph stared at his visitor feeling that rush of fear once more. He felt like he was prey again, like he was going to be eaten up - but there was no hunting party, no screaming, and no weapons. Instead they both just stared at each other.

* * *

Jack Merridew was never one to come to an event late unless he planned to. In fact he was very meticulous, making sure he was in control of everything.

"Jack~" a girl said hanging off of him.

His roommate had suggested her even though they had never met in his life. So why was she here? To make a scene of course! Jack Merridew _always_ had a dramatic entrance. It would prove that he was completely fine and probably much better off than _him_. While that blonde was running off doing God only knows what, he was doing brilliantly. Everyone loved him, he was with whomever he wanted, and he enjoyed every single minute of it! Granted, none of that was really true. He had only just gotten the courage to find him after a certain spectral encounter. Jack smiled softly at the thought of that visit. He hadn't seen Simon again after that, but that was now a fond memory for him. Jack Merridew was always in control and could never be exposed, so when those brief moments occurred when he could let down his walls and let go it overjoyed him.

The girl continued to talk at him. He would only flirt with her when he knew he was there. He had to know he was okay, that he was over everything that happened on that island. Absolutely _everything._

Jack's heart stopped when he came across the bench. Puberty had been kind to the other boy. His hair was shorter and perfectly caressed his strong features. He wasn't as feminine as he used to be, but still incredibly attractive. Jack was surprised that he hadn't tried the same tricks he had, any girl would easily give their time to a man who was so…

"Honey what's wrong?" the girl said as she put her hand on Jack's arm. "You're redder than raspberries."

"What?" he said softly. When he thought about it his face felt like it was on fire. His eyes widened as he quickly looked away from the boy. He couldn't just give in! He was in control. Jack was always in control. "It's nothing," he said as she tried to fiddle with him.

His hands crept down her waist resting them in a rather risqué position. The girl giggled and became increasingly more affectionate. It was time to put the plan into action. He continued trying to cause a ruckus near the blonde but all in vain. He didn't so much as glance up. That adorable concentrated frown probably meant that he wasn't all there but Jack couldn't accept that. This had to work.

Their antics became more public and a tinsy bit more risqué, drawing a crowd of viewers. A kiss here, inappropriate touch there, and some moans but still no reaction.

* * *

"Hamlet huh? So you're the tragic type?"

Ralph blinked at the question and looked down at his book. The pages he had been holding were about to be torn from the binding, but it seemed he was right. He was in fact reading Hamlet. "Actually…I had no idea what I was reading," he said with a faint smile, "I'm just taking a theatre class because I can't sing."

The red head grinned. "Well not all of us can be brilliant singers."

Ralph laughed at that comment. Even though part of him was still scared he couldn't help but remember that fondly. "And not all of them are so proud of it," he said teasing the other boy. Both of them laughed for a moment, and he could feel himself relaxing. There had been a time when, even though there had been competition, they were old friends instead of bitter rivals. "I can sing high C so I should be chief! What requirements for leadership," Ralph mused. "Though all of it was so silly back then, like some strange dream."

His companion was silenced as he spoke and looked down at his hands. He still wasn't comfortable talking about it. "So…how are you Ralph?"

The sudden subject change made him break free from his thoughts. Did it really make him feel that uncomfortable? "I've been well," he said, "Nothing too exciting." Even if Ralph didn't feel threatened by the other boy he didn't know how he felt disclosing personal parts of his life - plus there really wasn't anything that exciting.

"Really?" the boy smirked, "That uniform seems all too exciting."

* * *

After a while Jack stopped his fingers and lips, frowning away from the girl. Nothing he did was getting his attention, he seemed to be completely lost in his own little world that—

"Jack?" the girl said with concern and pouted, "I thought—"

"Please go home," he said unable to look at her. What had he done making such a fool of himself. He didn't like this girl, he didn't even know her, yet here he was touching her in such awful ways just so he would look at him. It was just like back then, doing anything to get so much as a glance. "And don't call me." Jack moved away from her before she could protest. Whatever sweet little touches she tried to give him meant nothing. He was trying to get the courage to say something, anything, to the boy he had truthfully missed so much. No one he had met was anything like him, so noble and regal but just as insecure as he was. No one understood what happened then, and that already caused a barrier between him and other people.

Quietly he sat down on the bench watching him. Even when he was only centimeters away the boy wouldn't so much as glance at him. He was completely lost in his own world, clinging to his book as the pages crinkled under his fingers. Was he even reading it, or was he somewhere else entirely. He had always been a thinker.

Jack continued to watch him, and now that he was closer his heart sank further. He had hoped it wasn't true. The blonde was wearing a military uniform. Jack couldn't honestly be bothered with which branch, but he was bothered by the fact that he was a solider. Armed forces protected people, kept peace, but also risked their lives. He hated the idea of him risking his life, not after he had worked so hard to become a part of it again.

* * *

Ralph looked down at himself as Jack spoke. His uniform? It felt more like his everyday clothes now. "Oh well I joined the Navy," he said, "It just felt like the right thing to do." After the officer found them on the island he had always thought about it. The other male nodded and looked out towards the park. It seemed they both shared an understanding as to why that was entirely logical. Nothing else needed to be said.

There was silence between the both of them, but it wasn't awkward - even if neither of them knew what to say. "It's actually kind of funny," Ralph said finally, "That you asked me to meet you today."

"Why?" he said.

He was silent again and cast his eyes down. Part of him was really enjoying this, and he wanted it to continue. He wanted to know how Jack was doing, if he continued with his singing, not dampen the mood with this news. "I'm leaving tomorrow," he said, "I'm getting deployed."

His eyes widened as he quickly looked over at Ralph. "What?" he exclaimed.

"I leave in the morning," he said and laughed. "It's funny. When they said they needed me I took the job instantly. I was so excited, especially since I could be of some use when I'd finished these few classes," Ralph rambled, "But now after this I…don't want to go anymore. I don't want to run anymore." He couldn't bring himself to look over at the other boy, it was almost as frightening as earlier but in a completely different way.

"Then…don't," the red head said, "Stay here."

Ralph laughed. "That's not how the Navy works. I have to go—"

"I'll wait!"

His heart stopped at those two words. Slowly he turned his head towards him and couldn't help but blush. He seemed so desperate, he had never seen him this way. "Jack…"

"I'll write you and I know you'll come back. There aren't any wars or anything so you're just doing some work right? It'll be okay," the man blushed almost as dark as his hair. It had been the first time he had heard him say his name in years.

Ralph watched him, unable to keep his eyes off of him. Had things always been like this? He thought Jack had hated him, yet here they were, acting like a married couple. A warm smile appeared on his lips as he wrapped his arms tightly around his shoulders. He couldn't think of anything to say, but that was okay. Words didn't matter. Jack hugged him back tighter. It was obvious that Ralph didn't entirely believe what he was saying, but he wanted to make him believe.

"I'll wait too," Ralph said softly in his ear. He placed his hands on Jack's face and rested his forehead against his. Though Jack was normally quite confident, he seemed so embarrassed by the simple touches. Did it bother him? Potentially, but not enough to make him want Ralph to stop.

So he didn't.


End file.
